Fire safety for patients and residents in sleeping room areas in care, care and treatment and detention occupancies is predicated on the ability of staff to carry out at all times essential life safety functions in accordance with the fire safety plan.
Many factors may affect the ability of staff to carry out life safety functions, including the mobility of patients who cannot fend for themselves and the built-in protection for patients who cannot be moved except under exceptional circumstances.
Should a patient area in a hospital or long-term care homes contain factors which would increase the time normally required for staff to evacuate patients or to undertake other life safety measures, consideration should be given to providing additional fire protection measures to ensure that equivalent safety is available.